Filling device



v INVENToR w.D.coQK Q Feb. 8p 1944. w; D. cooK l FILLING DEVICE FiledApril '7, 1941 Patented Feb. 8, 1944 Fiume DEVICE William D. Cook,Detroit, Mich., assignor to Phillips Petroleum Company, a corporationoi' Delaware ApplicationApril 7, 1941, Serial No. 387,293

(ci. 22o-s6) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a filling device for use with containers'toprevent overfilling the container. Y

In the handling of liqueiied gases and volatile liquids, the containersin which the liquefied gas is transported or stored must not be filledabove limits prescribed by law. Because of the high volatility andinfiammability of liquefied petroleum gases, such as propane, butane,and mixtures containing one or both of them, many of the liquid levelgauges applicable to use with less volatile or less inflammable liquidsare not advantageously used with liquefied petroleum gases. On some ofthe larger storage containers and transport tanks, a clip tube gauge isused. These devices are well known and consist of a small tube extendinginto the container with a valve on the portion of the tube outside thecontainer. The end of the tube inside the container is set at apredeterimned point relative to the top of the container or, in somegauges, may be varied at will during the gauging operation. The operatormay determine whether the open end of the dip tube inside the tank isabove or below the surface of the liquid by opening the valve andnoting' whether vapor or liquid is expelled. Portable containers oftenare not equipped with a liquid level device. These containers are lledto the proper extent by weighing or metering the liquefied gas into thecontainer. f

The present invention provides an improved filling device for use withthe containers by which e the containers may be filled to the desiredextent without the necessity or gauging the liquid. The device isattached to the container inlet and automatically retards flow of liquidinto the container when a predetermined liquid .level is reached.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved filling device foruse with containers.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device which willautomatically retard flow of uuid into a container when a predeterminedlevel has been reached.

- The drawing is an elevational view in vertical cross-section oi' acontainer showing the device of the present invention in position.

With reference to the drawing. the numeral l designates the containerwith which the lling device 8 is to be used. The lining device extendsthrough the top oi' the container and is attached thereto by anysuitable means, as bywelding to the plug l in the top of the container.Attached to the iilling device, outside the container. is the valve 8which is normally closed except when the container is being filled.'I'he body of the filling device comprises an enlarged portion 9containing.

vice and is normally maintained in a vertical position, as illustratedin the drawing, by the counterweight I4. The counterweight is joined tothe valve disk by the lever arm I5 which passes through a slot I6 in theiilling device;- 'I'he slot is of suicient size to allow freedom ofmovement of the valve disk from the vertical position to the horizontalposition C indicated by dotted lines in the drawing. When the valve diskI0 is in the horizontal position C the resilient valve face IIcooperates with the valve seat I2 to prevent ilow through the conduit IIinto the container. Directly opposite the counterweight I4 is a port I8through which liquid from the conduit I I may fiow into the container.

The operation of the device is as follows. Liquid from an externalsource is admitted to the container through the valve 8 and flowsthrough the filling device into the container 6. In flowing' through theconduit II of the filling device liquid mayalso be diverted through theport I8 into the container. The iiow rate through the valve 8 is soadiusted that very little. if any, liquid is diverted through the portI8 during the iilling operation. When the liquid in the tank reaches thepredetermined level L in the container the flow ot liquid throughconduit I I is opposed-by the liquid in the tank. liquid passing throughthe con duit Il is discharged against the liquid head equal to the depthof submergence of the lower end of the conduit II below the liquid levelL. This added resistance to ilow of liquid through the conduit II causesan increased volume ot liquid flow through the port I8. Liquiddischarged through the port I8 impinges on the lever arm andcounterweight I4 swinging it away from the conduit II to someintermediate position B.

- Motion of the lever arm I5 moves the valve disk I8 a correspondingamount into its intermediate position B. When the valvedisk l0 reachesthe intermediate position, liquid flowing through the filling deviceexerts ,a torce on the upper side ofl the disk moving it into closedposition C. Interruption of flow of liquid through the conduit II may bedetected by the operator lling the containedby any suitable means. The'operator may then close the valve 8 and proceed with iilling of othercontainers. l

It is to be noted that the device of the present I invention eliminatesthe necessity for a liquid level gauge. The present illling deviceinterrupts the'riow of liquid to the container when the deaired liquidlevel has been reached. The operator illling the containers is therebyrelieved of the responsibility of constant vigilance to prevent afilling device comprising a body member. a

conduit extending from the body member into the container, the lower endof the conduit being submerged in the liquid in the container when thecontainer has been nlled to the proper height, a valve in the bodymember to close the conduit connected to the body member, a port throughthe wall of the conduit through whichthe iluid entering the conduitflows into the container when the lower end of the conduit becomessubmerged, and means connected to thev valve and actuated by the flow ofuid through the port to close the valve and prevent further liquidentering into the container.

2. In combination with a container for liquids, a illling devicecomprising a body member, a conduit extending from -the body member intothe container, the lower end ofthe conduit being submerged in the liquidin the container when the container has been illled to the properheight,

and prevent further liquid entering into the container;

3. In combination with a container for liquids, a filling devicecomprislnga body member, a conduit extending from the body member intothe.

container, the lower end` oi the conduit being submerged in the liquidin the container when the container has been filled to the properheight, a valve disk plvoted in said body member and normally positionedout of the path of fluid now entering the container but adapted to closethe conduit connected to the body member, a weighted lever arm attachedto said valve disk which maintains the valve disk normally out of thepath of il'uid flow through the body member, a port through the wall ofthe conduit intermediate its ends through which the fluid entering lthechamber ows into the container when the lower end of the conduit becomessubmerged, and the fluid ilow through the port actuating the weightedlever arm to pivot the valve disk to a closed position on the conduitand prevent further liquid entering into the container.

WILLIAM D. COOK.

